This
new community beacon is a direct fusion of the 21st-century learning goals
outlined by Durham Public Schools and the uniquely wooded and hilly site. The interwoven relationship between the
natural and built environment permeates the project. The school is organized around a central
courtyard to maintain a compact footprint, take advantage of the site’s natural
topography, and foster a sense of community among students, teachers, and
parents. Upon entering the main lobby,
students have a direct view into the courtyard and the woods beyond. The compact layout ensures the scale of the
800-student building is tailored to the young students, reduces the length of
overwhelmingly long hallways, and ensures students maintain a connection to the
outdoors. Each turn of the building becomes a visually open learning commons
that allows learning to spill beyond the walls of the classroom. A bridge housing the school’s shared programs-media
center, art, and music spaces-spans over the east edge of the courtyard and
creates the sense of learning in the middle of the woods. The bridge’s 136-foot clear span truss
structure and other building systems are put on display, turning the building
into a living laboratory to pique the curiosity of tomorrow’s leaders.
Program
EDUCATION
Status
COMPLETE
Awards + Recognitions
2023
AIA TRIANGLE MERIT AWARD - UNBUILT
Credits
EDUCATION
Status
COMPLETE
Awards + Recognitions
2023
AIA TRIANGLE MERIT AWARD - UNBUILT
Credits